MEDIA RELEASE: CINEFLIX PRODUCTIONS SECURES GROUNDBREAKING ACCESS TO REVEAL A RARE PERSONAL GLIMPSE INTO THE LIVES OF HISTORY’S ICONIC FIGURES IN THE DESCENDANTS

Four-part docuseries will embark on a global journey with the families of giants:
Mahatma Gandhi, Eleanor Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Martin Luther King Jr.

New York – Cineflix Productions, the multi-award-winning production company that executive produced the recently acclaimed feature film Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy, and executive producers Valerie LoCascio, Anne Kenny, and Amrita Gandhi today announced the development of The Descendants, a four-part premium documentary anthology that explores what it’s like to honor and uphold the legacies of the world’s greatest legends through the perspectives of descendants in the family line.

With exclusive access, viewers will embark on an extraordinary journey with those for whom Mohandas “Mahatma” Gandhi, Eleanor Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Martin Luther King Jr are ‘family.’ A deeply personal journey where history collides with the modern world, The Descendants will give us glimpses into the memory vaults of the family of our inspirational beacons of peace, moral courage, strength and equal rights. Through unprecedented access, the four families will share private collections of archival materials and intimate, untold stories, revealing why they think these legends stepped up when others stepped back.

Each episode will be guided by a relative of the featured icon:

Gandhi: Great-granddaughter Amrita Gandhi, author, and TV host, will introduce viewers to a one-of-a-kind opportunity—meeting with family members including grandsons Gopalkrishna Gandhi and Rajmohan Gandhi and modern days descendants charting new paths such as Medha Gandhi.

• Eleanor Roosevelt: Great-granddaughter Tracy Roosevelt, will examine how the International Declaration of Human Rights drafted by Eleanor Roosevelt influenced her own path in life as an attorney specializing in international conflict resolution. She will also revisit Eleanor Roosevelt’s history making moments and her global influence that continues to inspire today.

• Churchill: The Churchill family will retrace the Prime Minister’s steps through Blenheim Palace, Chartwell, Churchill War Rooms, and the Houses of Parliament while also addressing Churchill’s influence on recent recipients of The International Churchill Society’s Sir Winston S. Churchill Leadership Award.

• King: Nephew Isaac Newton Farris Jr., Senior Fellow of the MLK Center for Nonviolent Social Change, will interview immediate King family members, review recently restored archival footage and photography, and present current activities of the Center that carry on the legacy of conflict resolution, especially in youth.

“It is our goal to tell timely stories, and The Descendants hits every note,” said J.C. Mills, President and Head of Content at Cineflix Productions. “We live in a world facing unprecedented challenges with a lack of global leadership. Gandhi, Roosevelt, Churchill, and King were legends who left an indelible impression, and we hope our docuseries will remind audiences of their legacies and inspire viewers to stand up for what they believe in.”

“These are personal stories that can only be told by family members who grew up contending with a figure who was larger than life,” added executive producers Valerie LoCascio and Anne Kenny. “What was that like for them? Did they continue to promote their ancestors’ legacies throughout their lives and through their work, or did they choose obscurity? It seems almost impossible to go through even one day without encountering some word or image from either Gandhi, Roosevelt, Churchill, or King.”

“Being related to a world icon can feel remarkably strange. My heart and mind are tethered to my great-grandfather’s legacy, and although we share the same DNA, my daily life is remarkably different. But I suppose that’s the magic of it all,” said Amrita Gandhi. “Throughout this journey, I have realized there are so many precious, untold stories that I simply must share with the world.”

Executive producers include J.C. Mills for Cineflix Productions as well as Valerie LoCascio and Anne Kenny. TV host Amrita Gandhi also will serve as an executive producer.